1. The Karters 2: Turbo Charged
  2. News

The Karters 2: Turbo Charged News

Devlog - Week #28 | Online Beta Date Announcement

Hello everyone, and welcome to the new dev log!

Over the past few weeks, my main focus has been on online features and I'm excited to announce that the online beta tests will start on 27 October 2023!



For registration details, please join our Discord where you'll find a beta sign-up form. Given that online features form a significant part of the game, you can expect the beta to continue until everything runs flawlessly. In addition to refining online functionality, we will also be concentrating on weapon balancing and final game touches to ensure it's prepared for its full release.

Today, I'd like to give you a brief glimpse of what you can expect during the beta. However, please remember this is not the final - I'll be actively seeking feedback during the beta tests to refine and improve everything.

[h2]Game Items Store - Offline & Online Separation[/h2]



I've spent considerable time thinking about how to make both offline and online play equally enjoyable. I recognize the importance of allowing players to unlock all items without needing to participate in online races. Simultaneously, the progression and competition tied to unlocking items through online races are vital. I've decided that items will be unlocked separately in offline and online modes.
In offline mode, this will be achieved through Single-Player Challenges, while online, players will collect coins from races to purchase items.

The game will support multiple customization presets (including characters, vehicles, and wheels). These presets will be accessible both online and offline, but certain items might be locked based on their availability in either mode (depending on if is it unlocked via challenges in offline mode or is it purchased in online mode via coins).

One important question is about the microtransactions. The game is paid and we're a dedicated small indie studio, therefore, we have no plans to introduce microtransactions in the game at this point.

[h2]ELO Rank-Based Rooms[/h2]



ELO ranking will be integral to the game. For those unfamiliar with the ELO system, it originates from chess and is esteemed for creating balanced competitive matchups based on players' skills and performances.

Within ELO-ranked rooms, race outcomes will dictate whether you earn or lose ELO points. Additionally, a fixed number of coins will be awarded. The higher your ELO rank, the better the competition and coin rewards.

[h2]Entry Fee-Based Rooms[/h2]



I'm looking forward to seeing how this addition plays out during Beta. In essence, these rooms have an entry fee, and the winner gets the largest share of the pot. For instance, if you enter a room with a fee of 20 coins and there are eight participants, the total pot is 160 coins. The pot distribution of coins based on race standings will be finalized during the online beta phase (for example 80-40-20-10-5-5). This feature promises thrilling high-stakes competition and it may work really well :)

[h2]Online Tournaments[/h2]

Online Tournaments feature will allow a limitless number of players to compete simultaneously to determine the best among them! Every day, there'll be three tournaments aligned with the major time zones. During the registration window, players can sign up, and as the tournament starts, they'll be grouped into rooms of eight. From each room, only the top three will advance to the next round, culminating in a final room consisting of just 8 players, where they'll compete to determine the tournament champion!

Additionally, there's a larger tournament weekly and an even grander monthly event having the most substantial rewards and prestige. Tournament winners will be presented on the special leaderboard, where they'll remain highlighted for 3 days, 3 weeks, or 3 months, respective to the tournament they won. I truly hope you're as excited about this feature as I am!

[h2]Private Rooms and Cross-Play Friend System[/h2]

Naturally, the game will support private rooms for friends. But that's not all - you can connect with friends across all platforms without any issues as well ;)

[h2]Team & What's Ahead[/h2]

@Mortus is currently refining the Blender tool for character and vehicle exports.
@Mariusz is enhancing and improving game battle arenas.
@Edward is working on music tracks for Battle Arenas

Next week you can expect an update about custom character and vehicle modding, as well as preparations for the online beta phase. Can't wait to see you in the game!

Thanks,
Sebastian

Devlog - Week #27 (01.10-06.10.2023) Online Features, Custom Characters

Hello everyone!

First and foremost, welcome to my DevLog series! My name is Sebastian and I am the programmer and game director of the game :) Until now, I've been posting these updates exclusively on our Discord server. Moving forward, I'll be sharing them here to make sure everyone stays informed, even if you haven't joined our Discord yet.
If you're interested in catching up, all the previous 24 DevLogs are available at discord.gg/TheKarters.

At the moment, my main focus is on preparing the game for the upcoming online beta, while the rest of the team diligently works on key elements for the forthcoming full release. Let's dive into the progress from the past week and in case you missed it, take a look at City Biome Race Track that we recently presented on our social channels!

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h2]New Friend System [/h2]
In the prologue via Duels, currently, you have the option to discover and add a friend using a code. This makes it convenient to connect with someone not on your Steam friend list. The same system is integrated online to bridge connections across platforms (e.g., connecting a Steam user to a PlayStation friend).

The previous implementation had its challenges: codes were frequently incorrect, leading to connecting with the wrong player, or they changed inexplicably. I'm pleased to announce that I've introduced a revamped code system. More notably, I've developed an entirely new Friend system. Players no longer need to mutually add each other. Now, when you locate a friend using a code, you'll send them a friend request. The recipient then receives a notification, allowing them to accept or decline. I'm excited about this new implementation, as seamless friend interactions are essential for the game.

[h2]Custom Characters & Vehicles Tools :[/h2]
The custom character system is progressing, but a little bit slower than I anticipated. I'm optimistic about finishing it out by next week's end. I've created a custom project that contains a tool to very easily export your custom character files into the game. In the upcoming week, I will focus on implementing features and logic to load these custom character packages into the game. Once finalized, you can anticipate a brief demo showcasing its functionality.

[h2]Online Beta[/h2]
While the new friend system is a significant leap, there are a lot of fixes and improvements pending before the beta's launch. I can confidently say that it'll debut this month but I'll share the precise launch date as soon as I can. It's very important to ensure a great and polished online experience and I am sure it will be worth the wait. You can register via our discord

[h2]Team's Work [/h2]
@Mariusz has been focusing on polishing and improving the Battle Arenas. He's completed the first round of improvements on 5 arenas, which is really impressive progress!

@Mortus has finished the Blender export tools. Moving forward, our focus will be on improving these tools and thinking about new characters to introduce to the game ;)

@Edward has finished the final music track for the City biome. He's also put together a teaser, which you can find below! It's fantastic, and I'm sure you'll be eagerly awaiting its full debut in the game! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qT8mMXbzb_E

The upcoming online beta is going to be fire!

Thank you all for your unwavering support.
Sebastian

Prologue is LIVE! Get a taste of what's coming in the Full Release!

We are excited to announce the Prologue is Live and you can play it NOW to get a taste of what's coming in the upcoming Full Release later this year šŸ

What's in the Prologue?
šŸš— 3 Race Tracks (one NEW!) & 1 Arena
šŸš— 20 Challenges to beat
šŸš— 4 Characters and 16 skins
šŸš— Split-Screen & Async Duels
šŸš— Leaderboards


https://store.steampowered.com/app/2506950/The_Karters_2_Turbo_Charged__Prologue/

We wish you tons of fun! ā¤ļø

Steam Prologue Announcement July 27th | Featuring Mythic Moonlight Track!



Hello Kart racers!

We have some exciting news to share! We have set the release date for The Karters 2: Turbo Charged Free Prologue, which will be arriving on July 27th 9 AM PDT.

This Prologue version includes numerous fixes and improvements to the demo, along with a brand-new track called Mythic Moonlight! We have high hopes that you will set some mind-blowing records on it!

[h2]Please, add to your Wishlist and see you in the game![/h2]
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2506950/The_Karters_2_Turbo_Charged__Prologue/

Speedrunning Contesst | $350 Prize Pool | Steam Next Fest Celebration!

To celebrate #SteamNextFest, we're thrilled to announce our very first Speedrunning Contest with a $350 prize pool! (LiveSplit supported!)



[h2]How to participate:[/h2]
1. Download the demo available during SteamNextFest
2. Download the LiveSplit software.
3. Run LiveSplit -> Right-click on time -> Edit Splits -> Write the complete name "The Karters 2: Turbo Charged" in the Game Name field.
4. The Activate button should appear! Activate to enable The Karters 2 Live Split support (the time will run only during races).
5. Press OK. and close the Edit Splits window.
6. Right-click on LiveSplit -> Choose Compare Against -> Choose "Game Time" (this ensures the time is counted only during races).
7. Run the game and start the 1st challenge! After the countdown, the LiveSplit timer should start, and it should stop during Pause/Game Loading.

[h2]Rules:[/h2]
1. The contest is about completing all 20 in-game challenges in the shortest time.
2. Runs are recommended to be streamed live (on Twitch/Youtube). LiveSplit is required. If you can't stream, upload the video to youtube.
3. Post your run and time on our discord speedrun contest channel (create a thread: discord.gg/TheKarters).
4. Share your run on your Twitter account, tag @TheKarters2 (without space), and use the #speedrunTK2 hashtag.
5. The contest starts right now and ends with Steam Next Fest on June 26 at 10:00 AM PDT (UTC-7).
6. We hope you'll give it a go and have a ton of fun! Share this contest with your fellow speedrunning friends!

Wishlist & Follow us for more speedrunning contests in the future!
Join our Discord for tips & discussions!

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheKarters2
Discord: discord.gg/TheKarters
Game Assets: https://dropbox.com/sh/x80lbkj239cmf4c/AADMSWvimL78okIIyvYVDZ0Sa?dl=0